ODD DOWN (BATH) 4 BRIDPORT 2

TOM Richardson netted his fourth goal in the last three games but the Bees gave themselves too much of a mountain to climb at the Lew Hill Memorial Ground in Bath.

The striker gave Bridport a glimmer of hope when he converted a Rhys Hayter flick to make it 3-1 with around 10 minutes left.

But the home side put the result beyond doubt seconds later, sealing the win with a breakaway goal – Matt Condliffe struck a consolation for the visitors soon after.

“We had the best of the early stages in each half but we didn’t capitalise on the chances we created,” said Bees’ boss Trevor Senior.

“They punished us to go 2-0 ahead but it would have been a different story if we had scored just after half-time.”

He continued: “The first 25 minutes were quite even. Tom Richardson had our best chance with a near-post header that was close.

“They were dangerous on the break and went 1-0 up after we had played a ball into their box.

“We gave the ball away just before half-time and they broke away again to make it 2-0.

“They had four or five chances in between the goals so we weren’t too unhappy to go in at the break two behind.

“The next goal was going to be important and Matt Morley created a couple of chances for us which had them rattled.

“But we didn’t get the goal and Shane Evans under hit a back pass which allowed them to make it 3-0.

“We kept going and Rhys Hayter flicked on for Tom to volley in, though they went straight up the other end and made it 4-1 before Matt Condliffe got our second after some great play from Matt Morley.

“They deserved the win but it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if we had scored when it was 2-0.”

Morley had come on at the interval for Ryan Dovell after the forward suffered a hamstring strain.

Darren Watts also had to come off in the second half with a knock to his shin, while Rhys Hayter replaced cousin Ryan Hayter with 15 minutes to go after the latter had picked up a booking.

The injured duo are now doubts for the Bees’ game at home to Bitton on Saturday.

Bees: S Filkins, J Filkins, Condliffe, Evans, Watts (C Clarke 65), Ry Hayter (Rh Hayter 75), Luke, Wise, Richardson, Dovell (Morley 46), Buckler.